Biofuels groups welcome court decision in RFS case
May 06, 2014 | 11:59 PM
Calling the Environmental Protection Agency’s decision to preserve the 2013 Renewable Fuel Standards while extending the compliance deadline “reasonable,” the U.S. District Court of Appeals today denied a petition to review the case.
Monroe Energy had asked the court to vacate the final rule, saying EPA didn’t reduce the total renewable fuel volume, failed to address a malfunction of the credit system, and failed to promulgate the standards until more than eight months after the statutory deadline had passed.
But the court said “EPA was entitled to conclude, as it did, that it had wide latitude to consider a range of factors as appropriate” in setting the standards.
The renewable fuels industry welcomed the decision in a statement.
“Today’s decision is a victory for American consumers, renewable fuel advocates, and the RFS program,” said the Renewable Fuels Association, which with the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) and Growth Energy had intervened in the case.
▪ U.S. Court of Appeals — Monroe Energy petition for review denied
Monroe Energy had asked the court to vacate the final rule, saying EPA didn’t reduce the total renewable fuel volume, failed to address a malfunction of the credit system, and failed to promulgate the standards until more than eight months after the statutory deadline had passed.
But the court said “EPA was entitled to conclude, as it did, that it had wide latitude to consider a range of factors as appropriate” in setting the standards.
The renewable fuels industry welcomed the decision in a statement.
“Today’s decision is a victory for American consumers, renewable fuel advocates, and the RFS program,” said the Renewable Fuels Association, which with the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) and Growth Energy had intervened in the case.
▪ U.S. Court of Appeals — Monroe Energy petition for review denied
